College coaches help to create stars

Do you have a high school student who has stellar grades and test scores but who just doesn't stand out from his peers? This is a growing problem for quite a few families that see their above average students being edged out of college placement by those kids who have that little something extra. But luckily for those families, for a fee, sometimes upwards of $25,000, College Coaching firms can give their child that needed edge to get into just the right college.

For one bright student who had alot of academic success going for him but not enough pizazz to catch the eye of a college acceptance board, the staff at Ivy Success took him in hand and helped be a star. "We had him start an organization that dealt with childhood literacy, and it received a lot of funding and media attention, so he was able to demonstrate why he was interested in applying for that particular major - he differentiated himself," said Victoria Hsiao, a partner at the college coaching firm.

It seems to me that with the soaring prices of a college education that this is but another overblown expense. This is a service for the families whose kids start violin lessons and foreign language classes before Kindergarten. I do admit that if I had the funds I would give my child every extra needed bit of help I possibly could, so I might be inclined to use this service. But since my oldest never studied violin or Ancient Greek before the age of five, we might not be candidates for this sort of pursuit.